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My first vac-form kit is finally finished! a tribute to the late Gordon Stevens as part of a group build on HyperScale: Britmodeller build log can be found here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234997838-172-rareplanes-pbm-mariner-gr1/

I've joined in a Gordon Stevens Memorial Group Build over on HyeprScale with what will be my first attempt at a vac-build. Just to complicate matters I plan to use a Red Roo Mariner GR.1 conversion set intended for the Minicraft kit, plus the gun turrets from the Minicraft kit (Ed Russell of Red Roo gave me the turrets when I found out he was converting his Minicraft kit to an RAAF PBM-3 transport without turrets). For details of the Red Roo Mariner GR.1 set see my in-box review: http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/accessories/redroorrr7251reviewmd_1.htm Being new to this vac-form lark I'm off to a slow start. I must admit Rareplanes' plastic seems nice enough to work with so far. There are some shape and dimensional differences compared with the Minicraft PBM, so I anticipate a some dramas when I come to use the Minicraft turrets (especially with the nose one). I only noticed that the cockpit canopy was quite misshapen and malformed after cutting it from its backing sheet in preparation for trimming: I tried using the vac canopy as a mold for an Amazing Sculpt (like Milliput) master, but was none too happy. Besides, the kit canopy is not that good to begin with, if you're used to canopies by Falcon like me. So I decided to scratch-build a canopy master in order to better achieve the faceted effect of the lower clear panels, and would match Rareplanes' slightly inaccurate (IMO) overly curved shape using Amazing Sculpt for the top panels. I hope to plunge mold a new canopy over the weekend when I've sanded the Amazing Sculpt to shape and polished the master up. After basic filing and sanding down to plastic-card forms: I have a usable canopy after my third molding attempt. I would like to do one in thicker material, but I need to source something suitable as the scrap packaging I was using is a bit thin. But I have proof of concept, so work on the Mariner can resume now I know I have a workable canopy solution. Not a lot of progress. I made a representative flight-deck based on photos,cutaway drawings and the Minicraft kit. It's enough to convey the "flavour" of a PBM's flight-crew stations given the little that will be visible. I also cut out the portholes and windows which will be glazed with clear styrene sheet punched out and cut to fit respectively:

Would the pilot and co-pilot of RAF Mariners has USN or RAF seat harnesses? Thanks in advance for any help.